Objective Investigate the relationship of excess and central adiposity with pediatric psoriasis severity. Design, Setting and Participants Multi-center, cross-sectional study of 409 psoriatic children. Psoriasis was classified as mild (worst Physician’s Global Assessment (PGA) <3 with body surface area (BSA) <10%) or severe (worst PGA >3 with BSA >10%). Children were enrolled from 9 countries July 2009-December 2011. Main Outcome Measures Excess adiposity (body mass index (BMI) percentile) and central adiposity (waist circumference (WC) percentile and waist-to-height ratio). Results Excess adiposity (BMI >85th percentile) occurred in 37.8% (n=155) of psoriatics vs. 20.5% (n=42) of controls, but did not differ by severity. The odds of obesity (BMI >95th percentile) overall in psoriatics vs. controls were OR=4.29, 95% CI=1.96-9.39, but were higher with severe (OR=4.92, CI=2.20-10.99) than mild (OR=3.60, CI=1.56-8.30) psoriasis, particularly in the U.S. (OR=7.60, CI=2.47-23.34, and OR=4.72, CI=1.43-15.56, respectively). WC >90th percentile occurred in 9.3% (n=19) of controls, 14.0% (n=27) of mild, and 21.2% (n=43) of severe psoriatics internationally, and especially in the U.S. (12.0% of controls, 20.8% of mild, and 31.1% of severe psoriatics). Waist-to-height ratio was significantly higher in psoriatic (0.48) vs. control (0.46) children, but unaffected by psoriasis severity. Children with severe psoriasis at their worst, but mild at enrollment, showed no difference in excess or central adiposity from children who remained severe at enrollment. Conclusion Globally, children with psoriasis have both excess adiposity and increased central adiposity, regardless of severity. The increased metabolic risks associated with excess and central adiposity warrant early monitoring and lifestyle modification.

Background/Objectives The clinical features of pediatric psoriasis warrant further attention. A national study was completed to determine the prevalence of scalp and nail involvement, and history of guttate psoriasis at onset, according to age, sex, and disease severity. Materials and Methods 181 children, ages 5 to 17 years, with plaque psoriasis were enrolled in a multi-center, cross-sectional study. Subjects/guardians were asked about a history of scalp and nail involvement and whether the initial presentation was guttate. Peak psoriasis severity was assessed and defined historically as mild psoriasis (MP) or severe psoriasis (SP) according to Physician Global Assessment and Body Surface Area measures. Results 79.0% (n=143) of subjects reported a history of scalp involvement and 39.2% (n=71) described a history of nail involvement. Boys were less likely than girls to report a history of scalp involvement (OR= 0.40 (0.19-0.84)), but were more likely to have had nail involvement (OR=3.01 (1.62-5.60)). Scalp and nail involvement was not related to psoriasis severity. In contrast, SP subjects (35.9%) more often reported a history of guttate lesions than did MP subjects (21.8%) (p=0.017). Antecedent streptococcal infection was more common in children with guttate vs. plaque psoriasis at onset (p=0.02), but did not correlate with severity. Conclusions Gender-related differences in scalp and nail involvement suggest koebnerization. Preceding streptococcal infection predicts guttate morphology but not severity, and initial guttate morphology is associated with eventual greater severity of disease More aggressive monitoring and management should be considered for guttate psoriasis, given its later association with more severe disease.

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CME EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES: 1.Identify clinical features of a microcystic lymphatic malformation (MLM).2.Understand evaluation and treatment options for MLM.3.Identify symptom-based management approach for MLM. A 13-year-old white female presented to the pediatric dermatology clinic for a lesion on her right proximal upper extremity. The lesion initially appeared at 5 years of age as a cluster of skin-colored and erythematous papules. Following their appearance, the patient developed recurrent episodes of pain and swelling in the area, followed by bruising and the color of the papules changing to dark red. The symptoms and signs typically progressed over 1 week, spontaneously resolved over several more weeks, but then recurred every 4 to 6 months.